The 2019 U.S. Open Tennis Championship has taken an interesting turn since the world’s top-ranked players of both men’s and women’s singles were eliminated in the fourth round.
Last year’s women’s champion, Naomi Osaka, who defeated Serena Williams for the title, lost to 23rd-ranked Belinda Bencic.
Meanwhile, the defending men’s champion, Novak Djokovic, had to retire due to injury during his fourth-round match against Stan Wawrinka.
In fact, the other top two players of women’s singles — second-ranked Ashleigh Barty and third-ranked Karolina Pliskova — were defeated along with Osaka in the fourth round.
Djokovic recently won the 2019 Wimbledon Tournament against Roger Federer and as the world’s current No. 1, he was one of the favorites of the men’s singles in this year’s U.S. Open. Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, the world’s No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, were considered to be the closest to the title at that moment.
At 38 years old, Roger Federer holds the record for most Grand Slam tournaments won with 20 wins, followed by Nadal, 33 years old, with 18 wins and Djokovic, 32 years old, with 16 wins.
Wawrinka, who had won against Djokovic, fell to fifth-ranked Russian Daniil Medvedev in the quarterfinals, while Federer shockingly lost to 78th-ranked Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov in five sets.
Medvedev and Dimitrov will face off in the semifinals.
Last year’s U.S. Open women’s singles and this year’s Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka, who is the first Japanese tennis player to earn a Grand Slam title, also surprised her fans by losing to Bencic on Sept. 2.
The 21 year old’s unexpected victory against Williams was discussed a lot last year at the U.S. Open, followed by controversial comments by Williams against the officiating on who deserved the title.
Osaka took part in another interesting scene at this year’s U.S. Open after her match with the 15- year-old Coco Gauff.
Gauff was visibly emotional after she lost to Osaka, but her opponent encouraged the young
player to join her post-match interview and acknowledge the audience.
Williams’ chance to win her seventh U.S. Open title has increased.
However, Williams scared her fans when she rolled her right ankle during the second set of her match against Petra Martic.
She also advanced to the semifinals, following a 44-minute thumping of Wang Qiang in the quarterfinals.
After the U.S. Open lost some of its favorites, it is unknown which players will take advantage of the situation and earn this year’s last major tennis title.
Williams remains the heavy favorite on the women’s side, as does No. 5 ranked Elina Svitolina. The two will face off in the semifinals.
Nadal remains the heavy favorite on the men’s side with Federer and Djokovic eliminated.
